Serving for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission

Monday, July 16, 2012

¡Queridos!

What a week, what a week! The baptisms.. A HIT! and one of the best baptismal services that I think a missionary could have! I´ll tell you about them a little bit later. Elder Alvarado and I had a great week in Fiorito helping and preparing our investigators for their baptism and also helping to animate the "area" for this service that we were going to have. We had a lot of emphasis in bring as many people as we could to the baptism. We had a great turn out!! Especially for Juana, Donene, and Sandro I think it was extra special as their families were able to be there and take part in this special event. (They brought a whole crew!.. It was sweet!)

The baptism was lindo! We started our preparations at about noon, we had to clean the chapel, clean the font, and set everything up. Además we had a farewell party for an hermana that will be leaving to serve a mission in Paraguay so we were able to take a minute and help set that up as well. The farewell started about 3 o´clock and was great! Reminded me a lot of when I left. Several people were asked to share their testimonies and any counsel that they had for her. A lot of people showed up from the rama to support her and was a HUGE blessing for us because while we were eating torta and other goodies Elder Alvarado and I locking the doors so that everyone would stay for the baptism. Haha just kidding.. They all stayed willingly and it was a great reunion. We had set up chairs and everything in a separate room, but because of how many people showed up we had to move everyone to the sacrament room (?). It was a huge joy for me and was really special to be able to sit with everyone and be able to just smile. I was thinking a lot about our investigators and how special the message of our Savior is and the peace that it truly brings to us. I was filled in that moment with a greater love for Fiorito. While everyone was changing we had planned to show the movie of "The Restoration," SOO good! Juana and Donene brought their daughter and granddaughter and later they told us how incredible that it was! I learned a lot about how important focused planning is. Thinking about the baptismal service the week before I never imagined that it would have turned out how it did, but It was a testimony to me that as we faithfully plan and truly include the spirit in our plans the Lord fills in the gaps and then puts a little garnish on the top! ;) Learned this week that planning and focus is so important. Time is flying by... Hay que aprovechar cada minuto que tenemos y cuando no estamos enfocados cómo debemos, tiempe puede soltarse de nosotros aún mas rapido. Fue una semana dura en este sentido pero un lección que lo agradezco a mi padre celestial por haberme enseñado.

We also received an interesting phone call from Presidente Stapley during our preparations. He had a couple things the "run by me." Ha Elder Alvarado has been called to be the new pencionero en las oficinas and has headed there now. He´s super chocho (happy) because he gets to drive again and the mission just got a brand new Toyota.. Ojito in the streets of Buenos Aires. He told me a couple of stories of car crashes that he had in the past.. I´m praying I´ll see him again! haha No, but I´m really sad to have switched.. Elder Alvarado was an amazing help to me and a great friend. I´m just hoping that I´ll be able to get another Latino, he put me on a super spanish high and speaking 24/7 with a native is grandisimo! Presidente Stapley has called me to be the new District Leader in Fiorito and has asked for me to be a Trainer again! I´m super excited, nothing else! Just full of thanks for what I´m able to experience and all that I´ll be able to learn. I notice that the Lord qualifies us and can bring us to a higher level in order to call us to new assignments. I feel "weak" in knowing what to do and how i´ll be able to do it but I know that I´m able to! I realized this last transfer all the things that I need to be able to do in order to serve better and feel that this is my blessing to be able to step up and put into practice. As a leader for the Lord, we really are blessed with a 2 part blessing. The first is to DO and APPLY all that we can in order to have a testimony of what the Lord has asked us to do. By gaining a testimony we then are blessed to speak by the power of the Holy Ghost and He will be our witness that those things a true- with this spirit we can teach and bring others to new heights. I´m thrilled to love and support those in my District. D&C 84:106 was a powerful scripture that Presidente shared with me and a humbling challenge as I go into the next step of faith!

I´m grateful for your prayers. They are a true support! I hope you have a great week and all the blessings of our Father in Heaven. I´ll fill ya in on pictures next week with the hijo!

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Contact Information

The following address may be used to mail letters or packages to Brayden:

brayden.jolley@myldsmail.net

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What I Believe

Missionary Links

Alma 26:35-36

35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all apower, ball wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a cmerciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

36 Now if this is aboasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a bbranch of the tree of Israel, and has been clost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, dwanderers in a strange land.